| abstract |
Compositions and process for recovering of oil from subterranean oil-bearing reservoirs consisting of green non-toxic biodegradable strong alkali metal salt of polymerized weak acids, one or more surfactants, an aqueous fluid, a optionally one or more mobility control agents and optionally one or more co-solvents are disclosed. Such compositions are injected into the reservoir through one or more injection wells and assist in recovering trapped oil through one or more producing wells. n A preferred green non-toxic biodegradable strong alkali metal salt of polymerized weak acids is the sodium salt of polyaspartic acid shown below where n is 10 to 50. n n n n n n n n n n The compositions and the process of the present invention offer the advantage of improved compatibility with unsoftened waters, surfactants, and various mobility control agents. The green non-toxic, biodegradable properties of the alkali makes it particularly suitable for environmentally sensitive applications such as offshore and inland lakes. |